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When is the best time to visit Istanbul?
In general the best time to visit Istanbul is probably June, July, August, September, when the weather is usually great. The hottest months are June, July, August, while the coldest months are January, February, March.
Depending on the activities you want to experience, you may choose different months to visit:
- The best time for a sunbathing holiday is June, July, August. Average maximum temperatures are up to +28°C in August and it has 22 sunny days on average.
- In general, it’s pleasant to walk and do outdoor activities during May - October.
- If you want to avoid wet weather, then your choice is January, November, December with the lowest chance of rain.
Average weather in Istanbul in different months
This is the average weather in Istanbul for each month based on historic data:
In June, July, August, September the weather is great. There are an average of 22 sunny days in July and the temperature ranges from +21°C to +27°C.
March, April, May, October usually has good weather. Average maximum temperature reaches +20°C during May.
In January, February, November, December the weather is average. Expect around 50 rainy days, and the precipitation amounts to approximately 81 mm in December.
Climate in Istanbul
Here is the detailed breakdown of the climate in Istanbul for each month:
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum Temperature | |||||||||||
| +19°C | +23°C | +25°C | +28°C | +34°C | +37°C | +36°C | +35°C | +36°C | +31°C | +27°C | +24°C |
| Average Maximum Temperature | |||||||||||
| +9°C | +9°C | +11°C | +15°C | +20°C | +25°C | +27°C | +28°C | +24°C | +19°C | +15°C | +11°C |
| Minimum Temperature | |||||||||||
| -8°C | -5°C | -4°C | +1°C | +6°C | +11°C | +15°C | +16°C | +12°C | +5°C | +1°C | -2°C |
| Avg. water temperature | |||||||||||
| +10°C | +9°C | +10°C | +13°C | +18°C | +24°C | +28°C | +27°C | +25°C | +22°C | +17°C | +14°C |
| Humidity, % | |||||||||||
| 76 | 75 | 73 | 69 | 69 | 66 | 64 | 66 | 67 | 73 | 75 | 76 |
| Rain, mm | |||||||||||
| 65 | 50 | 54 | 41 | 26 | 24 | 18 | 14 | 31 | 57 | 69 | 81 |
| Snow, mm | |||||||||||
| 8 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Average wind speed, m/s | |||||||||||
| 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 |
| Sunny Days | |||||||||||
| 6 | 7 | 9 | 12 | 15 | 18 | 22 | 22 | 17 | 12 | 9 | 6 |
| Cloud Days | |||||||||||
| 9 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 8 | 9 |
| Rainy Days | |||||||||||
| 13 | 11 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 10 | 12 | 14 |
| Snowy Days | |||||||||||
| 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Average Temperature
Here are the average maximum and minimum temperatures in Istanbul during the whole year:
The hottest month in Istanbul is August with average maximum temperature going up to +28°C. The coldest month is January with the lowest temperatures of +5°C.
Water temperature
Here are the water temperatures in Istanbul during the whole year:
Istanbul achieves its warmest water temperature in August, where the average sea temperature goes up to +25°C. Coldest water temperature is in February with +8°C in average.
When can you swim in Istanbul?
You can swim in Istanbul from June to September:
- In June - September the water is comfortable (21°C - 25°C);
Humidity
The temperature feels different depending on humidity. Here is how humidity in Istanbul looks throughout the year, in %:
The most humid month in Istanbul is December with average humidity going up to 76%. The least humid month is July with an average humidity of 64%.
Rain
Amount of rainfall in mm. in Istanbul during the whole year based on historical data:
The sunniest and driest month is July with approximately 22 sunny days and a total precipitation of around 18 mm. The rainiest and wettest month is December with approximately 14 rainy days and 81 mm of total precipitation.
Snow
Amount of snow in mm. in Istanbul during the whole year based on historical data:
The snowiest month is February with approximately 3 snowy days.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about the weather in Istanbul:
What is the hottest month in Istanbul?
The hottest month in Istanbul is August with average maximum temperature of +28°C.
What is the coldest month in Istanbul?
The coldest month in Istanbul is January with minimum temperatures of +5°C.
Is Istanbul worth visiting in winter?
Winter in Istanbul could be a good time to visit, as the weather is generally ok.
When does it rain the least in Istanbul?
if you're looking to visit Istanbul when it rains the least, you should plan your trip for December, November, January. During this time, rainfall is rare with the driest month being August with only 14 mm of rain.
Other cities in Turkey
Check out the weather for other cities in Turkey.
Monthly weather in Istanbul
Source of the data
For this page, we’ve looked at the typical weather in Istanbul, based on historical hourly weather data from January 1, 1979, to December 31, 2023.
For past dates, we show actual recorded data at the location at that time. Forecasts are based on recorded weather during that day of the year, averaged over the total years for which we have records (unless stated otherwise). The daily temperature is the highest recorded temperature in the shadow during that day.